Family Presence During Pediatric Resuscitation: A Focus on Staff

Patricia R. McGahey received a master’s degree in the pediatric critical care nurse practitioner program at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She is currently an instructor at Baylor College of Medicine and works as a pediatric critical nurse practitioner with the intensive care service at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Tex.

In several studies, parents have expressed a desire to be given the opportunity to be with their children during a resuscitation. Institutions that treat children must recognize the need for and begin investigation of how to prepare staff for potential participation in resuscitation when a patient’s family members are present. The author summarizes the findings of current research on staff members’ perceptions of including patients’ families during resuscitation efforts and suggests implications for practice unique to pediatrics.

The 8-year-old girl who was recovering from a near drowning 3 days earlier had had a relatively stable day. It was 2am. Suddenly, her oxygenation and hemodyonamic stability deteriorated. Within seconds, her bedside was surrounded by members of the healthcare team participating in her resuscitation.

When the attending physician arrived 15 minutes into the resuscitative efforts, she immediately requested that...